The most competitive nations in Europe are Switzerland (3), Sweden (5) and Germany (9), which have export-oriented manufacturing and fiscal discipline. Meanwhile, Ireland (20), Iceland (26) and Italy (40) look better equipped to bounce back than Spain (39), Portugal (41) and Greece (58), which continue to scare investors.

Emerging economies are not yet immune to turmoil elsewhere. China (23), India (35) and Brazil (46) have all slipped in the rankings, Russia (18) climbed only one place. All Asian economies have declined apart from Hong Kong (1), Malaysia (14) and Korea (22). Latin America also had a tough year, with every nation falling except Mexico (37).

the reports like as below generally have variations from 10% to 40%, but we have something in this regard so i think it may have a place here too. here we clearly see that Brazil and India have to spend much more on the Infrastructure

You can see that Brazil has the worst overall ranking among the countries listed. Though the country is a large exporter, the extremely poor condition of the country’s roads and rails has hampered the growth of internal textile and farming industries. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for the country, as the government already has a plan in place to improve these conditions (Read: Brazil’s Infrastructure Plays Catch Up).

India’s infrastructure also rates poorly, and is slowing the country’s ascent to top of the world’s economies (Read: India’s Achilles Heel). One of India’s key issues is electricity.

Power is also a problem in South Africa where a major power plant has not been built in 20 years and blackouts/power outages have hurt the country’s mining industry in recent years. Merrill projects $54 billion will need to be spent on the country’s power system over the next three years, accounting for nearly half total infrastructure spending.

China, which accounts for more than half of that $6 trillion estimate, ranks far above emerging peers in terms of infrastructure at the 65th percentile. Merrill says that one of China’s biggest needs is in water and environmental development. The firm estimates that the Asian country will need to build roughly 40,000 reservoirs at Rmb 12.5 million a piece to create an internal water distribution system and alleviate pressure when regions experience extended droughts such as what China is seeing presently.

NEW DELHI: Major global companies consider India their third most favoured destination after China and the United States, a U.N. report said on Thursday, and investment inflows could increase by more than 20 percent both this year and next.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into India leapt 30 percent to nearly $32 billion in 2011, though held back by slow pace of reforms, it still remains a long way down the league table of FDI recipients.

"The FDI inflows into India can go up by 20-25 percent this year and by about 20 percent next year, if the present trend continues," said Nagesh Kumar, Chief Economist, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, while releasing the UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2012.

Some 179 global companies - from the manufacturing, services and primary sectors - were surveyed between February and May, on their favoured investment destinations for 2012 to 2014.

Kumar said FDI growth seems to be keeping its momentum in 2012, referring to furniture maker IKEA and Coca Cola's (KO.N) recent announcements to pump nearly $5 billion combined into India over the long term.

Though India's economic growth slowed to 5.3 percent in the March quarter, its slowest in nine years, its trends still compared favorably, Kumar said.

"Compared to many other places, India is doing better in terms of growth," he said, adding global investors were looking at the long term prospects and wide market in Asia's third largest economy.

The report said worldwide FDI flows exceeded the pre-financial crisis average in 2011, reaching around $1.5 trillion, despite turmoil in the global economy, and is projected around $1.6 trillion this year.

Global companies are sitting on hefty cash reserves and waiting for the euro zone situation to stabilise before investing, he said.

Earlier this year India allowed full foreign ownership of single brand retailers, although late last year it backtracked on a plan to allow in foreign supermarkets.

Many investors are hoping it revives that plan soon, after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently took over the finance portfolio and talked about the need to address problems in the insurance and mutual fund industries, as well as taxation.

Kumar said corporate investors look at long term prospects and recent controversies over retroactive tax proposals broadly aimed at taxing companies like Vodafone (VOD.L), or proposed general anti-tax avoidance rules ( GAAR) would not hurt India's prospects as an investment destination.

Over the next five years, 20th-century manufacturing stalwarts like the United States, Germany and Japan will be challenged to maintain their competitive edge to emerging nations such as China, India and Brazil, according to the 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index report from Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited’s (DTTL) Global Manufacturing Industry group and the U.S. Council on Competitiveness.

The report confirms that the landscape for competitive manufacturing is in the midst of a massive power shift – based on an in-depth analysis of survey responses from more than 550 chief executive officers (CEOs) and senior leaders at manufacturing companies around the world.

(India looks good as below???? )

The 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index once again ranks China as the most competitive manufacturing nation in the world both today, and five years from now. Germany and the United States round out the top three competitive manufacturing nations, but, according to the survey, both fall five years from now, with Germany ranking fourth and the United States ranking fifth, only slightly ahead of the Republic of Korea. The two other developed nations currently in the top 10 are also expected to be less competitive in five years: Canada slides from seventh to eighth place and Japan drops out of the top 10 entirely, falling to 12th place.

(we hope to see India on 2nd place soon, as below :thumb

The report found that access to talented workers is the top indicator of a country’s competitiveness – followed by a country’s trade, financial and tax system, and then the cost of labor and materials. Enhancing and growing an effective talent base remains core to competitiveness among the traditional manufacturing leaders – and increasingly among emerging market challengers as well.

Manufacturing still matters a great deal for the economic prosperity of 20th century powerhouses – and these nations continue to have enough going for them to stay in the game and even thrive.

My this post is just to keep a record of the comparative 'Average' Growth rate of India with "Newly Asian Industrialized" countries, along with the Matured Industrialized Asian countries like Korea, Japan, Singapore as below.

this effort is just to keep an eye on the Average Growth Rate of India since 1981 to 2013, as compare to other 'Asian' Industrialized Countries

and this comparison clearly tells us, how population growth rate of around 2% since 1981, with 500mil extra people this way, has covered every success of India since 1947. while total number of Middle Class of India is itself more than total population at the time of freedom, 1947

=> we also have a comparison of India and China's Per Capita Income on PPP since 1990 as below, telling us the difference between Indian Open Market strategy with Chinese one since 1990...... India could have only around 5.3% growth rate for the 12 years in between 1991 to 2001, because of failing to even 'copy' the Chinese Economic Reforms in 1991

=> while Average Growth Rate of India since 1951 itself stands at around 5.82% to date.....

GDP Annual Growth Rate in India averaged 5.82 Percent from 1951 until 2013, reaching an all time high of 11.40 Percent in the first quarter of 2010 and a record low of -5.20 Percent in the fourth quarter of 1979.

Futron has released its 2012 Space Competitiveness Index marking the 5th anniversary of the yearly publication. According to the report, the United States remains the overall leader in space competitiveness but is seeing a decline for the 5th year in a row.

The decline is attributed to enhanced capabilities in other countries while the U.S. is undergoing a transition with "significant" uncertainty.

New to the index this year are emerging space nations Argentina, Australia, Iran, South Africa and the Ukraine.

Four distinct tiers have emerged. The first tier has the U.S., Europe, and Russia. The second tier China, Japan, India, and Canada. The third tier South Korea, Israel, and Brazil. And the fourth tier Argentina, Australia, Iran, South Africa and the Ukraine.

Futron says the top two tiers remain dynamic but have shown some stabilization while the bottom two tiers are subject to intense competition, with very small gaps in the competitive rankings.

China gained the most competitiveness basis points in 2012, followed by Europe, India, and Israel. Japan lost the most basis points, followed by Canada, South Korea, and the United States. When compared against the larger group of 15 nations, Brazil falls to 11th place, just below Australia.

As has been noted before International collaboration is increasingly taking shape as a concerted space competitiveness strategy, especially among smaller actors.

Here's a list of some of the findings by country:

- Argentina is adapting its satellite manufacturing sector for the international marketplace, exploring both commercial and government-to-government deals. It stands to benefit from increased investment in spacecraft subcomponents.

- After more than a decade of dormancy, Australia is back. The government is refreshing its national space policy segment-by-segment, focusing on space not only a driver of innovation and expertise, but also for its benefits to Australian society.

- Brazil has begun to re-examine its national space priorities, increased funding, expanded its partnerships, and laid plans for a new launch vehicle. It remains to be seen whether these steps will keep Brazil ahead of regional counterparts that are also emerging onto the space scene.

- China performed a record number of launches in 2012, surpassing the United States for the first time, while increasing investment in technical education programs and civilian research institutes.

- Europe's integrated approach is complemented by the rise of new national space agencies across the continent--from the United Kingdom to the Czech Republic to Estonia--as well as more assertive space export financing.

- India is enhancing its space-related technical education, while gradually progressing toward a completely self-reliant set of next generation launch vehicles.

- Iran has made faster progress than any other newly emergent space nation. The tenor of Iran's space program--civilian or military--will hinge on geopolitics. Other international actors have substantial power to influence the future focus of the Iranian space program.

- Japan, despite ongoing benefits from its policy reforms, is losing competitive ground relative to most other actors, and can benefit from a greater focus on commercializing its industrial base.

- Russia's remains the world's launch leader, and promises to retain that role in the near term thanks to its vital role in transporting astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, as well as the introduction of Soyuz launches from the European spaceport at Kourou. These strengths, however, are offset by weaknesses in retention of human capital talent.

- South Africa is divided, from a budgetary standpoint, between space investments focused on societal usage of external assets already in space and investments focused on building the country's own space industrial base.

- South Korea's two failed launch attempts contributed to an organizational shakeup, but have not reduced its determination to become the newest country to achieve independent spaceflight.

- Ukraine has an enviable space industrial base, but limited domestic demand for its space hardware. It is aggressively seeking partners overseas, but has not yet engaged with key emerging markets.